Not All Sports Tile are Equal

There are several sports tile manufacturers in the USA and everybody's products are slightly different. Some use a 10" mold, some 25cm, and some use a 12" square. There are also differences in tile thickness, ranging from 3/8th to 3/4 of an inch. The basic injection molding process is the same and we're all using similar types of plastic, but the actual tile designs can vary significantly.

Is a smooth tile better than a textured tile? The argument is that a smooth tile won't abrade the skin when you fall. The tricky part of the answer though, is that as texture decreases, your likelihood of slipping and falling increases. Plastic, particularly when there's moisture present, can be slippery, and the difficulty in providing traction without texture only makes the problem worse. So while a textured surface makes for a little rougher landing, the number of times you'll fall increase when the surface is smoother. Interlocking tile absorb roughly half of the energy from falling, so falls on even a textured tile are dramatically less damaging than a fall on a sidewalk or driveway.

The is a close-up of the multi-point suspension system engineered into some tile. No moving parts is an important aspect.

At least one tile manufacturer has designed a spring system to provide bounce and give the floor spring.

This is the interlocking design on one brand of tile. Removing one of these tile can be tricky.

The gap on some brands of tile are held open and close to absorb shock.

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